Diversion Coordinator

Family Services of the Merrimack Valley • Lawrence, MA

1d • $57,000 - $60,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Family Services of the Merrimack Valley is seeking a full time (40 hours/week) Diversion Coordinator for the Massachusetts Youth Diversion Program (MYDP). In collaboration with the Department of Youth Services, the Massachusetts Youth Diversion Program offers an opportunity for young people who have committed low-level offenses to access the necessary services and support to divert them from further involvement with the formal juvenile justice system. This role emphasizes reducing future offenses, fostering positive youth development, promoting equity, and holding youth accountable for their actions. The Diversion Coordinator will conduct assessments, develop case plans, and provide case management services to youth and their families. Additionally, the Diversion Coordinator will manage cases referred to the Attorney General’s Diversion Program, which aims to inform, educate, and support youth statewide while promoting healthy sexuality and relationships in a digital age.

The Diversion Coordinator will be responsible for, not only direct service implementation, but ensuring fidelity of the program model through quality assurance, data collection, analysis and reporting, partnership development, and project evaluation. The Diversion Coordinator will build professional relationships and rapport with each of these groups. The Diversion Coordinator will develop and foster positive relationships with youth and adolescents, families, members of the juvenile justice system (court personnel, law enforcement, probation) as well as leadership at DYS and other relevant state agencies. Applicants should be highly motivated, critical thinkers who are able to adapt to evolving circumstances and who are passionate about the goals of the diversion program.

The Massachusetts Diversion Program aims to:
Reduce the likelihood of future offending by youth in the program and increase public safety
Support positive youth development
Promote and ensure equity in the process
Hold youth responsible for their actions

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Social Work, Psychology, Sociology or related field OR Associates degree with 2+ years direct experience in preferred qualifications.
• Demonstrated experience working with at-risk youth.
• Demonstrated experience working with diverse populations and communities.
• Knowledge of community groups, events and connections in geographic area Diversion Coordinator will be working in.
• Ability to handle confidential information.
• Ability to adapt, think critically and problem solve in high stress environments.
• Ability to collaborate as well as work independently.
• Ability to maintain relationships with youth, their families, service providers, diversion referrers, and other partners.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as needed based on program needs.
• Ability to meet deadlines.
• Understands the value of repairing harm caused by individuals or society, and engaging individuals and community in the process.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• CORI check will be conducted after an offer of employment is extended but prior to employment commencement, but may not be automatically disqualifying.
• Bilingual proficiency in English/Spanish in both verbal and written forms is strongly preferred.

Nice To Haves

• Lived or work experience in child welfare or juvenile justice agencies.
• Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, or related field.
• Ethic of service, including volunteering experience.
• Access to reliable, consistent transportation to attend meetings and events in the community.
• Knowledge of/ experience in restorative justice practices Knowledge of/ experience in screening/assessment tools, case planning and evidence-based practices.

Responsibilities

• Effectively manage a caseload of 20 youth
• Manage AGO Diversion Cases as assigned
• Meet with youth referred to the diversion program and their families and explain the diversion process and expectations.
• Gather information to effectively craft an individualized diversion agreement for each youth by conducting risk/need assessments, interviewing youth, families, victims, and referrers, and reading police, school and other necessary agencies’ reports.
• Match youth to appropriate interventions for their case plan and develop the diversion agreement based on that case plan.
• Monitor the progress of youth throughout the diversion process through ongoing contact with youth at a pre-determined frequency through visits, phone calls, text messages, or other approved methods, as well as regular contact with other partners.
• Meet with youth at a pre-determined frequency in the community or at other approved locations.
• Communicate with other system stakeholders and service providers across the communities served.
• Build on community connections and establish partnerships for future programming.
• Engage youth throughout case planning and communicate expectations at each stage of diversion.
• Attend court hearings and other meetings relevant to youth needs.
• Distribute, collect and input data on Diversion cases for purposes of evaluation and reporting.
• Keep documentation of progress in a secure area only accessible by diversion staff.
• Participate in training and other professional development.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Benefits include competitive health and dental insurance as well as fully paid life and long-term disability insurance along with training and professional development opportunities.
• A generous time off policy for employees working 30 hours or more per week including 4 weeks of paid Earned Time Off as well as 13 paid holidays per year!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees